The Virtual Space Theory

Throughout the history of the pictorial image, architectural content has been used to perform various roles. A thorough analysis of these roles and their evolution over the ages can be found in the book, focusing on both the medium of painting and the newer medium of film. In this post I will present a short overview of the roles of architecture in pictorial mediums by centering particularly on examples of music videos.

Architecture as frame – In medieval art, which was often made to accompany a written text, an architectural frame was commonly used as a visual separation between the surface of the paper on which the text was written and the visual content of the painting, which was usually a depiction of a character. Sometimes a series of such frames were also combined to create a larger architectural setting. Remnants of this use could also be seen in the art of the Renaissance, but gradually less so in later periods, and hardly ever in moving images.

A rare example of a contemporary use of architecture as a frame is the music video of Massive Attack’s song Protection (from about 1:05 on), which can be interpreted as echoing the use of the architectural frame in medieval art. It features a series of views of people in their homes seen from outside their windows, presented in a single continuous shot moving in and out of an apartment building. The building’s windows serve as the visual frames that define each scene and the space of the character depicted in it:

Architecture as background – Any music video where a city is seen behind its band as they perform their song could be considered to be an example of architecture fulfilling the role of the visual background of a music video. Though this may sound rather straightforward, I am actually aware of only few examples of this kind and welcome further suggestions from readers. One such music video is Beirut’s song St Apollonia:

Architecture as setting – The role of architecture as a setting refers to cases where architecture is not only seen behind the performing band (or other visual subject of the music video), but is actually used as a visual means of defining the space where the band is located. Many of the music videos of the band U2 make such a use of architecture in them, such as in the example of Beautiful Day, filmed at the Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris, which was designed by architect Paul Andreu:

Architecture as subject – In a few rare cases, architectural content serves the role of the actual subject of a music video. These are cases in which the visual content is either purely architectural, or those in which architecture is of primary visual importance even though the song’s performers are seen as well. In even rarer cases, such architectural content is created especially for the music video, as in the example of the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ song Otherside. It features a highly imaginative environment made in the spirit of German expressionist films from the early 20th century. Additionally, even though the band members are also included in it, their performances as well as their musical instruments are totally defined by the virtual world they are located in – which is the true visual subject of this music video: